Let's Read at Home! Tops and Bottoms

Make the book, Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens, a part of your child's life. Do these activities with her. The activities will help to make the book come alive. And you will be teaching your child the importance of reading.

1. Borrow it from your local library. Read it again with your child. Spend time looking at it at and talking about it together.

2. As you cook and eat vegetables, discuss with your child the vegetables which grow above and below ground. Ask your child if the hares grew the same vegetables in Tops & Bottoms.

Ask your child to put the cards into the order that the events happen in the story.

You can tell what each card shows by either reading the description or looking at the picture.

Some children will need to hear the story retold or read the book more than one time before they put the cards in the right order. This is fine. The important thing is that you encourage your child's efforts.

4. Talk about the vegetables the hares grew. Ask your child to draw a picture of a vegetable they want to buy at the store. Take the picture with you when you shop. Have the whole family eat the vegetable together. Talk about the fact that the child picked it.